Environmental Engineer (Tribal Utility Consultant)

About the role

Want to have positive impact working in diverse environments? Join us at IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction! We collaborate with American Indian Tribes to plan, design, and construct water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities.

Visit *** or email ***. Position is eligible for the IHS Student Loan Repayment Program with selection based on IHS priorities and available funds. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

What you will do

• Civil and Environmental Engineer Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) This position is being announced concurrently under Excepted Service/Merit Promotion Examining procedures.
• Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-26-HQ-13075722-ESEP/MP for eligibility requirements.
• The incumbent will be responsible for collaborating with American Indian Tribes to increase and maintain access to water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities by: Providing direct operation and maintenance services to the Tribes and tribal Utilities.
• Perform site visits to obtain condition of systems, location of mains, determination of local water pressures and plumbing layouts.
• Investigates malfunctioning water and sewer system components, makes preliminary diagnosis, estimates cost and material and submits recommendations.
• Provide training and technical assistance directly to the Tribes on procedures for sanitation facilities, operator certification and compliance with the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Completes required sanitary surveys and other related tasks on a variety of sanitation facilities.

Requirements

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Must have a valid State driver's license.
• It must be REAL ID-compliant.
• This may be a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children.
• Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Form may be required.
• The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain any licensure requirements.
• If licensure is not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit ***
• Must have a viable bank account at a financial institution for electronic direct deposit of salary payment.
• Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
• A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
• Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.
• Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package.

Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit ***

How you will be evaluated

How You Will Be Evaluated - Structured InterviewTo ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process. Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience.

Below is what applicants can expect: ________________________________________ 1. Minimum Qualifications Review - Hurdle 1 HR reviews your resume to confirm you meet the minimum qualifications for the position (education and/or experience, listed above).

Note: the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications. If you meet minimum qualifications, you move to the next hurdle. 2.

Technical Assessment (Structured Interview) - Hurdle 2 A panel of subject matter experts (SME) will review your resume to determine whether you clearly show the required specialized experience listed below.

Civil Engineering Planning and Evaluating Problem Solving GS-12: Provides expert technical assistance on complex water and sewer system issues to ensure the effective maintenance, operation, modification, and improvement of sanitation facilities; assists Utility Organizations with maintaining compliance with the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act; Investigates malfunctioning water and sewer system components, makes preliminary diagnosis and estimates costs, manpower, and material necessary to correct malfunctioning systems, makes recommendations on corrective and preventative actions.

Your score determines whether you move forward. Candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified.

Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles. The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities.

If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100.

Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: *** CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Veterans, i.e. (VEOA, VRA, and 30% or more disabled) - *** Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) - *** Interagency Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - *** Schedule A Appointments for the Disabled - *** Click here to view vacancy questions: ***

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 10/26/2026, to be considered.

Documents you must provide

• You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
• If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties.
• Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.
• Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements: Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records.
• For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432.
• Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
• Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy).
• To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (***) along with the appropriate supporting documentation.
• For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: ***
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: ***
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application.
• You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.
• Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• Licensure, Certifications: List and submit Professional Engineering (PE) license/certifications on resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable.
• Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 10/26/2026

What to expect next

Stay Updated with Text Alerts You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature: - Log in to your USAJOBS account. - Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences. - Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages. Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications.

Standard messaging rates may apply. You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation.

You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement. If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

Additional information

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.

IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a one year service agreement will be required. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines.

This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - *** You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?

In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation.

How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.

You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot). Financial Suitability Requirement: This position may require a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination.

Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).